Bed bug infestations are on the rise in Connecticut, as Hartford ranked 26 in the nation for bed bug infestations.
Orkin, the pest control company, released a list of the 50 U.S. cities in which the company conducted the most bed bug treatments.
While it isn’t surprising to have bed bugs in a large city, Orkin entomologist Ben Hottel said a city of that size being high on the list is strange.
“When you see things like Hartford at 26 or Springfield, Illinois at six, and both of those have about similar sized populations, then you're more like what's going on in those areas,” Hottel said.
Hartford ranked ahead of larger cities like San Diego, Miami and Seattle. Hartford’s first time on the list was last year, where it came in 35th.
The ranking comes from treatments conducted by Orkin from May 2025 to May of this year. Hottel was surprised by Hartford’s ranking.
“If you have a very dense population, dense metro area, I would expect more bed bugs than Hartford, Connecticut, would like with Manhattan,” Hottel said.
Connecticut is among the few states that have bedbug notification and treatment laws for tenants, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports.
Twenty-one states have laws requiring tenants to alert landlords about the presence of bed bugs and then requiring landlords to treat the infestation.
Connecticut’s law, established in 2016, sets separate duties and responsibilities for landlords and tenants, including notice, inspection, and treatment requirements, according to the EPA. It also gives landlords and tenants remedies when either fails to comply.
A report by EcoPest explains Hartford’s population density, renter turnover and the number of old multifamily homes could be why the city is experiencing a surge in bedbugs.
A Zillow report from May found Hartford is one of the most in demand rental markets in the nation, with a forecasted vacancy of about 4.3% for the next year.
City officials say bed bug infestations are a public health concern and encourage residents to alert the city’s housing division and 311 hotline to unresponsive landlords.
“The city is able to take action against landlords that do not remediate these issues, and provide assistance connecting homeowners and landlords to state-certified contractors who can properly exterminate infestations,” a statement read.
Residents can also report bed bugs in Hartford hotels or motels through the city’s 311 hotline and online.
